LAMONI, Iowa—The Southwestern Spartans men's basketball team improved to 2-3 on the season with a commanding second-half performance to secure an 81-69 victory over Graceland JV on Saturday night.

The Spartans were led by a standout performance from sophomore guard Rickey Loftin, who tallied 34 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Loftin's two-way play energized the team and sparked a dominant second-half run. Jakub Istok contributed 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, helping Southwestern control the paint and set the tone on both ends of the floor.

Despite a slow start, the Spartans found their rhythm after halftime. Head Coach Darryl Fletcher emphasized the team's resilience, stating, "We started very slow but were able to regroup at halftime and go on a run. Happy with how we locked in on defense and were able to play offense at a college level. We got some time off to get better and we are looking forward to our first home game next Saturday."

The Spartans will return to action this Saturday, hosting a ranked Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) team in their home opener. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at Creston.

Game Leaders

• Rickey Loftin: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals
• Jakub Istok: 16 points, 6 rebounds

Stay tuned for updates and support your Spartans this Saturday as they take on KCKCC!